Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 22 November 2012
194. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Health the number of whole time equivalent staff the expenditure on agency staff amounts to within the Health Service Executive and public health service broken down by separate grades and function in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52011/12]
View answer196. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he is satisfied that the hiring of front line services through agencies is more cost effective then the lifting of the moratorium; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52053/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 194 and 196 together.
The Government has decided that health service employment numbers must be reduced to approximately 102,000 by the end of this year, in line with its commitment to reduce public expenditure.
The HSE's National Service Plan 2012 allows for some targeted investment and recruitment in priority areas to address development priorities, such as in mental health and primary care, and some limited and targeted recruitment in critical service areas to help limit the impact of retirements on frontline services. However, given overall Government policy on reducing employment numbers and pay costs, such appointments may be made only within employment ceiling and budget.
In order to mitigate the impact on frontline services of the reduction in employment numbers and retirements, the priority is to reform how health services are delivered in order to ensure a more productive and cost effective health system. Therefore, the HSE is using the provisions of the Public Service Agreement to bring about greater flexibilities in work practices and rosters, redeployment and other changes to achieve more efficient delivery of services.
On 20 November, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform announced that he had invited members of the Public Services Committee of ICTU to discussions on a new agenda for improvements in the productivity of public servants and reductions in the cost of delivery of public services. One of the key objectives in this process will be to further enable the health services to provide the maximum level of safe services in the context of the necessary further reductions in staffing numbers in the next number of years.
The Deputy's query regarding expenditure on agency staff and equivalent staff numbers is a service matter and, as such, has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
